You cannot be "for" animals without deciding whether you are a welfarist or a rightist. The two are often mistaken for allies, but in a courtroom or a legislature, they are opponents.

As a guiding star, animal rights is invaluable. As a practical platform for 2026 legislation, it fails. However, it has successfully shifted the Overton window: 50 years ago, asking if a chicken had a “right to life” was absurd. Today, it’s a serious academic and activist question.